Tower of London sprouts ceramic poppies to mark WWI anniversary

Volunteers install porcelain poppies as part of the art installation "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red" at the Tower of London.

To mark the 100th anniversary of Britain’s involvement in the First World War, the grounds around the Tower of London will be carpeted with hundreds of thousands of ceramic poppies, each representing a fallen soldier.

Dubbed “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red,” the installation by ceramic artist Paul Cummins will be unveiled August 5 and continue to evolve throughout the summer. In total, the moat around the tower will be filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies, each representing a fallen British or Colonial military soldier killed during the war.

The final poppy will be planted on November 11.

Starting August 5, each ceramic poppy can be purchased by the public for £25, with 10 percent of each poppy and net proceeds going towards charities that support war veterans in the UK.